That One Time In The Bar You Know When We Misunderstood Each Other
by Sorcha Sadhbh
Summary: Sometimes a misunderstanding helps turn strangers into best friends.
1. Archie's misunderstood question

_**#52 (Scenario) 'Oh wow you're gorgeous but you have the same name as my kid/brother/father and that's kind of weirding me out.**_

"Hey my name is Archie." The ginger redhead young man held out his hand for the lanky brown haired young man to take.

Jughead took the hand and nodded his head. "Jughead."

Archie leaned into the bar after he got his hand back. "Look I don't usually do this. I mean I seriously don't do this. I am not kidding here." His eyes never leaving the other young man's. "I'm not trying out a line here."

Jughead nodded to the bartender and raised two fingers. "It's quite all right. I can tell you aren't smooth." He smirked as he watched the ginger haired young man slowly heat up. He grabbed the beer that the bartender had set in front of him. He took a long drink from the fresh drink. The smoothness and coolness was just what his heated system needed.

Archie chugged his own beer down and slammed the empty mug down on the bar. "Two more bar keep." He shouted over his shoulder. "So how about it?"

Jughead's right eye brow rose. "No offense man. But your name is my step older brother's name. There is no way I'm nailing a man whom has my step brother's name ever. Like seriously that's just too twilight zone for me." He took another long drink of his beer.

Archie blinked slowly. "Wh-what?" He shook his head. "No I'm not trying to get you in bed man." His right hand ran through his hair. "I'm straight. I'm honesty engaged to the most wonderful girl ever." His eyes soften as he thought of the love of his life.

Jughead was confused. "The way you were going on and on Archie; I honesty thought you were trying to get a lay out of me." He sighed as he leaned against the bar. He was disappointed. Not that he would sleep with the man whom shared the same name as his step brother. But he was now very horny. He wondered if Kevin was up to a quickie later?

Archie sighed. "I'm sorry if I lead you on Jughead." His eyes lowered onto the bar.

"Not your fault." Jughead smirked. "Don't think too much about it man. No harm done." His his head tilted. "What was it that you were so nervous about asking me?"

Archie's eyes lifted back to meet the friendly eyes of the young man. "I don't know how to dance. You know really dance. I need to make my wedding dance with Betty perfect."

Jughead leaned against the bar and shook his head at the bartender. "Why do you think that I know how to dance?" He was very curious at this answer. After all he loved to dance. Ball room, swing ... he loved the classic smooth moves. But he was honesty curious on what type of vibe he was sending off that a stranger could tell in a bar filled with people.

Archie blushed. "I watched you dance a few weeks ago. I was at the community center ... and I happened to have been passing by the dance studio ... and you were dancing."

"Why didn't you ask me then?" Jughead confusing spoke up.

Archie blushed. "I was embarrassed for watching." His arms crossed his chest. "Look it was always my Pop and I ... after my mom left us when I was six. Pop wasn't into anything that wasn't manly."

Jughead nodded. "Understandable." He thought of his own father. "Yeah I can teach you."

Hope lightened Archie's eyes. "Great." He grinned.

"Let's get out of here. I'm tired of this noise." Jughead shouted as the noise level sky rocketed.

Archie led the way towards the exit. He wrapped his arms across his chest as the cold winter air hit his face. "Great way of sobering up enough to get safely home." He spoke in his normal tone now that the door to the bar closed.

"Yeah." Jughead shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. "Want to share a Uber?"

"Sure. Great. Thanks." Archie pulled out his phone and sent a message for a Uber. "They will be here in ten." The two young men walked towards the curb to wait for their ride.


	2. The boys go home

Jughead held the door open to the backseat of the Uber car. "After you." He waved his hand for Archie to get in before he did.

"How gallant" Archie said with a smile. Once they were seated and on the road he turned to face his newest friend; "Have to admit that was the first time I was on the receiving end of a gallant move like that. No wonder why girls love it."

"Some guys love it as much." Jughead smiled back.

Archie blushed. "Right of course." He turned to stare out of his window.

Jughead was very amused at how easily the ginger haired man embarrassed.

Archie turned his eyes back to look at Jughead. "So when would be best for you?"

Jughead's right eye brow rose.

"You know the dance lesson?" Archie remained the other man.

Jughead smirked. "I may be buzzed man. But I haven't forgotten."

Archie blushed yet again.

"You are easily embarrassed aren't you?" Jughead grinned.

Archie shrugged. "It's a curse." He sighed.

"So whenever you want to start is fine with me." Jughead went back to the subject on hand.

Archie grinned. "Great." He was pleased that he didn't scare the other man off with his curse. "I have to work all week. Plus I promised Betty that I would take her out wedding shopping every night this week. Would Saturday work for you?"

"Saturday is fine with me." Jughead nodded.

The car stopped.

"This is me." Archie said as he opened the door.

"Hey before you go." Jughead put a hand on Archie's arm to prevent him from getting out of the car. "I need your phone number."

Archie's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh yeah." He quickly pulled out his cell. He handed it over to the other man. "Just type in your number; then I'll send a text."

"Cool." Jughead replied as he put his digits into the ginger man's phone. Handing it back.

Archie quickly sent a 'hey' text and got out of the car after he heard the ding from the other man's phone. "Thanks Jughead again."

"No problem." Jughead's left hand rose and he waved goodbye with two fingers. He sighed as the door closed after the ginger haired man. He turned his eyes back to the Uber's. "Go."

"So how about you and I get together? I can use a very good lay." The male spoke as he drove on down the straight. His eyes meeting the eyes of his passenger in the review mirror. "Do you like it very rough?"

Jughead tightened up. "You aren't my type man. Sorry."

"Your loss." The eyes went back to the road. "You have my number if you ever change your mind."

Jughead remained silent.

…..

Archie opened the door to his apartment and smiled softly. "Hey baby." He softly spoke as he found the love of his life sitting on his couch.

Betty turned her head and smiled softly. "Hey." She watched as he made his way to sit next to her. Resting her head on his shoulder. "I missed you."

Resting his head on top of hers. "I missed you also." He hated being apart from her. Even when they were just children. He hated whenever they had to go to their own homes. Even through their homes were right next to each other. He always hated not being in close complexly as she. It felt like he lost a piece of his soul whenever she wasn't with him. He didn't always need her right next to him all the time ….. as soon as his soul knew that her soul felt the same for his as his did for hers … then he figured out how to breath without her next to him. He just always missed her whenever she wasn't around him.

"Archie." She sighed. "Your soul is thinking too loud again. Just relax."

"Sorry." Archie sighed. "My soul just hasn't learned how to keep silent."

"I don't mind." Betty breathed out. "My soul feels the same way."

"Just your soul knows how to love my soul way more quietly than mine does." Archie breathed out.

Betty snuggled into her soulmate as she simply enjoyed having him home once more.

…...

Jughead got out of the car and slammed the door shut. He didn't brother to wait for the driver to pull away. He made his way towards the doorman of his apartment building. Nodding at the doorman he passed through to the lobby.

Once he made his place he opened the door, and walked in.

"Welcome home sir."

"Thank you Smithers." Jughead nodded towards the butler. He made his way into the parlor where he found his female roommate was sitting in the wing tip chair.

"How was it?" She asked looking up from her phone.

Jughead went to the vanity and poured some whiskey in the shot glass. He looked over to her. He placed the cantor back once he received the shake of her head. Grabbing the glass he walked over to the couch and sat down. "I found a new client." He sighed as he sipped the whiskey.

A sly smirk came onto her lips. "I'm sure you did."

Jughead mocked glared at his cousin. "No seriously Ronnie. This ginger haired man saw me dance the other week …. he came up to be at the bar and bought me a drink. He wants me to teach him how to dance for his wedding."

Veronica pursed her lips. "You do know that you don't have to work Juggie. I mean come on cousin dear we are rich."

Jughead shot the glass back into his throat before speaking again. "I don't have to dance either. But I enjoy it."

"I am just saying Jughead that you don't have to teach dancing to make money." Veronica stood to her feet, and moved over to sit next to her cousin.

"I like helping people." Jughead sighed as he leaned his head back on the couch. His eyes drifted close. "It makes me feel like I am human." He drifted off to sleep.

Veronica pulled the fleece blanket from the back of the couch and covered her cousin with it. "You are human Jughead Jones." She whispered before placing a kiss on her cousin's cheek. She gently removed his crown beanie from his head.

 _ **Author's Note: Okay here is the set up.**_

 _ **Archie and Betty are childhood sweethearts. They will be getting married and they will stay happily married. So no iconic love triangle between Veronica/Archie/Betty. Not happening in this story. Nope not going to.**_

 _ **So if you expect Archie's head to be turned once he meets Veronica Lodge – then you can totally forget about it. There will be no rivalry between Veronica and Betty. Once Betty and Veronica meet it will be fate destining them to being best friends.**_

 _ **Jughead and Veronica are cousins through their mothers. FP is still FP … I'll explain how Jughead has come to live at the Pembroke with Veronica later on in the story. Jughead is gay. (As if you couldn't all ready tell from the first part of this story …. which I started due to a prompt challenge).**_

 _ **Everyone is living in New York. (Yes there is a Pembroke in New York).**_


	3. Starting the new day

Archie turned onto his side as his eyes drifted open. He smiled at the sight of Betty's peaceful sleeping face next to his. He sighed as his right hand rose to gently trace her jaw line.

"That feels nice." Betty husked as her eyes slowly drifted open.

"Didn't mean to wake you." Archie whispered as he placed his lips against her cheek. "Sorry."

"I've actually been up for a while." Betty smiled into his eyes. Her own hand rose to trace his jaw line.

Archie hummed as he lowered his face to kiss the palm of her hand. He looked up into her eyes. "I'm glad that you decided to stay the night."

"So am I." She husked. "I love waking up like this."

"Very soon we'll wake up like this for the rest of our lives." Archie leaned forward and placed his lips gently against hers. His hand ran down her neck and gently touched the straps of her shirt. Pulling away. "Soon you and I will be able to be joined as we were always meant to be." He sighed. He felt her bare legs against his pajam bottoms.

Her hand traced his gray tee shirt. "Soon." She whispered as a smile lit her lips as her eyes raked his clothed body that the blanket wasn't covering. Her desire for him rose even more than it ever did back in their teen years.

"Do you have time for a nice breakfeast?" Archie asked as he sat up. He watched as she sat up herself. "Oh do you need to get to work?"

"Actually I need to get home to feed Carmal." Betty sighed as she tossed the covers off of her bare legs. She stood and grabbed her jeans which were on the chair next to the bed. "I'm sorry Arch." She jimmed into the jeans. She leaned forward and captured his lips once more with hers; as she buttoned up her jeans. Pulling away; "You know that I would love to stay this morning."

"But you need to get home." Archie smiled gently. He got out of bed himself. "Let me walk you to the door darling." He swung his left arm around her waist; and pulled her into his side. "Before you leave I wanted to let you know that I spoke to that guy that I saw dancing a few weeks ago."

Her eyes lit up. "So you went back to the community center." She gently pulled away from him as she walked towards the closet where her jacket; and purse were.

"No actually I found him in a bar." Archie said as he run his right hand through his mussed up bed haired.

Betty closed the closet door. "Archie." She sighed with a slightly worried frown.

"I wasn't aiming to get wasted Betts." Archie sighed as he felt her deep concern. "I just went in for like two drinks. I saw him at the bar and I went up to ask him to teach me to dance." A blush covered his cheeks.

"Arch?" Betty's bemusement clear in her cheeks. She knew this man of hers. Very well she knew him.

"He thought I was trying to get a lay out of him." Archie chuggled. "I mean it was loud at the bar so I we had to shout to be heard. I did pretty much had come on pick up lines going for me … I didn't out right ask him for dance lessons." He rolled his eyes. "Yeah that was pretty embarrassing when he said that my name was his step brother's and he wasn't going to nail me due to it."

Betty laughing shook her head as she slipped her jacket on. "Oh sweetie."

"But Jughead said that he would teach me to dance. Once I explained to him where I saw him dance and why I needed lessons." Archie finished as he stepped in front of her and tugged on her jacket.

"That's great." Betty said with a smile. "You know that I would love to teach you how to dance Archie … but I do believe that you need an actual male to help you with the male leading parts."

"We'll start on Satruday." Archie leaned forward to capture her lips once more. He pulled away as he knew that she truly needed to get home to feed Carmal. "Call me when you get home."

"Always." Betty promised as she stepped away from her soulmate. She waved as she stepped out of his apartment.

"Love you." Archie said as she was walking down the hallway towards the elevator.

Her head twisted to the side. "Love you." She blew a kiss before turning back around and turned the corner.

Archie smiled softly as he shut, and locked his apartment door. It was time that he got ready himself for the day.

 **THE PEMBROKE NEW YORK BRANCH**

Jughead fixed his beanie hat ontop of his head as he walked into the breakfeast room. He smiled over at the table where his aunt was all ready eating. "Hey Aunt Hermione." He greeted his aunt. He stopped next to her chair, and bent and kissed her cheek.

"Hello Jughead." Hermione replied as she gently patted his cheek. She watched as he took his seat at the head of the table. "When are we finally going to see you happily settled nephew?" She asked as picked up her coffee cup to take a sip.

"Perhaps after Veronica is happily settled." Jughead replied easily. He nodded as Smither's placed a plate of eggs, bacon and a few pancakes in front of him. Along with an apple jucie. "Thank you Smithers."

"Not a problem Mr. Jughead." Smithers nodded. "Veronica all ready left; but she left word that she would like to meet up with you for an early lunch this afternoon."

Jughead nodded as he took a sip of his juice. He looked around "Is Uncle Hiram in New York also this trip?" He asked causally.

"Yes he is. You can't keep him away from New York for long Jughead." Hermione replied as she watched her nephew's face for the usual play on emotion. She was pleased that it wasn't as tightly drawn as it had been when he first moved in with them. The years have soften this nephew of hers. Also her husband.

"I'm actually am looking forward to seeing him." Jughead replied as he picked up his fork to began eating.

"That's nice to hear Jughead." Hiram said as he walked into the room. He kissed his wife's cheek before sitting down next to her. He smiled at his nephew. "How have you been since the last time I talked you?"

"Last night I got a client." Jughead smirked.

Hiram's eyes narrowed.

"Oh come on Uncle … I may like to work for my money … but not in that way." Jughead rolled his eyes.

"You have pulled that line on me a few times back in high school J." Hiram spoke in a calm low voice. His lips twitched as he smiled. "But I know you would never actually go through with it. It's not in your character."

Jughead nodded. "That's right it's not." He picked up his juice for another sip.

"So tell us how you got a client at night." Hermione spoke up.

"I was at a bar." He looked his uncle in the eyes. "I wasn't getting drunk. I wanted a few beers." He knew his Uncle would always travel back to his troubled youth when he had honesty gotten drunk throughout the week. He saw the deep concern in his Uncle's eyes. It drew him more to his Uncle than before. He fully knew that Hiram Lodge did love him. He wasn't trying to fight that fact any longer.

Hiram relaxed as he realized his nephew truly did have his drinking under control. "So this client of yours?" He nodded as Smithers placed his own breakfeast in front of him. "Thank you Smithers." He spoke and found the butler smile in return. He should have been doing this towards Smithers when they had first hired Smithers just after Veronica's birth.

"So this guy; Archie Andrews; came to me; and hired me to give him dance lessons for his upcoming wedding." Jughead spoke.

"I didn't know you were activally advesrtising." Hermione furrowed her brows.

"I'm not." Jughead smirked. "He said that he saw me dancing in the pratice room."

Hiram stiffened up.

Jughead rolled his eyes. "At the community center Uncle."

Hiram frowned darkly. "Like that's any better Jughead." He shook his head.

"Hiram." Hermione sighed as she looked over at her husband. She shook her head tightly once.

"He's nephew also Hermione. He may not be of my blood but he is still my family." Hiram spoke in a hard stiff voice.

"And I love you also Uncle Hiram." Jughead spoke up. "I know that you worry about me. I appeciate it. But trust me that I don't willing go into the rough sides of the world willing any longer." He spoke easily as he lifted his fork. "My new client is very clean cut. A peppy." His brow winkled. "I believe he said his name is Archie Andrews." He fished out his cell from his pocket. "Yep Archie Andrews."

Hermione's eyes widen. "Does he ginger hair? Almost the color of a dull fire truck?"

Jughead nodded.

Hermione turned her eyes to meet her husband's. "He's Freddie's son Hiram."

Hiram lifted a stiff shoulder. He picked up his own coffee cup and took a sip.

Hermione silently sighed. She turned her eyes back on her husband. "You remember that I told you that I spent my childhood in a little town in Ohio."

Jughead nodded his head slowly. "Riverdale."

Hermione smiled. "Yes Riverdale. Well I spent my childhood there all the way up to graduating High school."

"I recall you talking about Riveredale High and how you wished Ronnie and I could have attended." Jughead leaned back in his chair.

Hiram let out a snort.

Hermione shot her husband a look before turning back to her nephew. "Well my child best friend was Fredrick Andrews. Also Hal Cooper."

"Some childhood best friends." Hiram snorted once more.

Hermione shot a dark look at her husband.

Hriam lifted his left eye brow. "How many times over the years have you spoken to your two childhood best friends Hermione?"

Jughead watched as his aunt's fingers tightened around her fork. "If this is Archie is the son of Fred Andrews; Aunt Hermione; then I'll send along your hellos." He calmly spoke as he stood to his feet. He moved over and lent down to kiss his aunt on her cheek. "Love you Aunt Hermione." He softly said in her ear.

Hermione relaxed as she reached up to pat her nephew on the cheek. She smiled as she winked. She watched as he walked from the room. She turned back to look at her husband. "Don't you dare Hiram Lodge." She spoke in a quite voice.

Hiram patted his mouth clean with his napkin. He pushed his chair back. "I have work to do. Don't expect me back until dinner." He walked from the room without another word.

Hermione sighed deeply as she stared at her husband's empty chair. She sadly shook her head. "I do hope that Archie is Fred's son." She sighed as she pushed back her own chair. She stood to her feet and walked to the window. Looking out at the New York mid morning scene. "But how do I make it up to Fred and Hal for over eighteen years of silence." Her lips thinned into a thin line as her memory went back to her carefree childhood days.

 **Author's Note: Okay so obviously this is a AU where the Core Four didn't meet in Riverdale. Veronica never moved to Riverdale in high school; Jughead never lived in Riverdale. Jughead's father is still FP …. but FP had moved away from Riverdale before Jughead and Jellybean's births.**

 **I have decided to help bring Riverdale into this AU story through Hermione's friendships with Fred Andrews and Hal Cooper. A good way of linking the Lodge family with two key familes of Riverdale. I haven't decided quite yet if I want to play around with 'Riverdale's' rivary between Hermione and Alice …. when I get to that part of the story then I'll make up my mind. But I think the parents of the Core Four deserves to have their own lives fleshed out ….. (they are after all so much to play around with).**

 **So for the sake of this AU Hermione HAD a sister …. so she's the mother of Jughead and Jellybean …. sadly their mother passed away. FP remairred and has a step son named Archie … hench why Jughead remarked that his stepbrother's name is also Archie in the first chapter.**


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